Top Things to do in Rothenburg
Top Restaurants in Rothenburg
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Things to do in Rothenburg, Bavaria: The Best Specialty Museums
Walk atop Rothenburg’s city walls or climb to the top of the town hall for great views. The Night Watchman tour is an unforgettable way to learn the city’s history. And our travelers also recommend the Medieval Crime Museum (Mittelalterliches Kriminalmuseum)—it’s gruesome but fascinating.
Restaurants in Rothenburg
1. Rothenburg Town History Museum
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 118 reviews
Rothenburg Town History Museum in the Thirty Years’ War – Since 1966, our small but fine museum has presented an impressive depiction of the situation of the city during the Thirty Years’ War. The focus is on u.a. the legendary events surrounding the conquest of Rothenburg by Imperial troops in 1631. 12 DUNGEONS – provide interesting insights into a lansquenets guardhouse, the fortifications and military readiness of the city, weapons, guns and war equipment. Other military equipment and original flags of the Rothenburg troops are also to be admired. Experience interesting information about General Tilly and the Catholic League, as well as about King Gustav II Adolf of Sweden and the Protestant Union. Among other things, the defense situation of Rothenburg in 1631 is shown. OLDEST PRISON OF ROTHENBURG – In connection with the history vaults the dungeon of the former free imperial city Rothenburg ob der Tauber can be visited below the town hall. It is considered as Rothenburg’s
2. Medieval Crime Museum (Mittelalterliches Kriminalmuseum)
Overall Ratings
4.0 based on 1,350 reviews
The museum exhibits in 2 buildings and on 6 floors Germany`s most important collection of legal history. The highlight of this museum is its exploration into the unusual law enforcement techniques used by local rulers in medieval and early modern times, such as torture instruments, shame punishments or instruments to execute corporal punishments or death penalties. Numerous displays, original graphics by famous masters as Dürer, Grien and Rembrandt as well as original documents, seals and law books from the 13th - 19 th centuries show the development of law in past centuries. The homes and walls of Rothenburg show visitors the mileau of times gone by without telling much about the lawful circumstances of its residents. Arising questions? Answers can be found at the Medieval Crime Museum.
Reviewed By exploringwithjune - The Netherlands, null
We've all seen the dungeons in big cities, focused on gore, ghost stories and adrenaline rushes. While this too can be a fun activity, I was very happy to see that this museum was nothing like that! It is not just sensational stories but based on historical research and extremely informative. It is educational and not scary, although you'll ofcourse see some unpleasant sights in some of the sources. This is inevitable considering the topic. They didn't use life-like props or set ups though, therefore I feel like it is generally suitable for all ages. Ofcourse some kids will be able to handle it better than others. The variety of objects on display is unrivaled by the other museums with this theme, at least that I have seen. They range from torture devices/humiliation devices, to weapons, to decrees, to objects used on courts, to seals, to books. Basically everything that has to do with law enforcement. The amount of objects is mind blowing, but they're also well displayed and provided with informative signs. The signs are quite long, but well written in both German and English. I honestly wished I could read everything, but that would take me ages. So instead I bought the book in the giftshop. I hope this is similar in style and information. What also distinguishes this museum from others in the same field, is that it doesn't just focus on punishment, but also on the process of making laws and the societal impacts of them. It does really well with placing everything in a broader historical and cultural background. I also liked that, eventhough the main focus is on the middle ages, there is also room for information on other time periods and important lawsuits in various ages. In addition to that, it is not just centered around Germany. For example the section on revolutions compares different countries and explains how these revolutions influenced eachother. Also great fun: they bust some myths! I won't spoil anything, but they have some great revelations on the iron maiden and the executioners hood. Staff and service also exceded my expectations. The girl behind the ticket booth was very cheerful and kind. While walking around we were also asked to do a short survey about our experience in the museum. The man was kind, his explanation was clear and he really took his time to hear about our thoughts. He even was very willing to give us more information on any of the objects. After my enquiry, he explained a lot about the emperor's crown which is often (falsely) associated with Charlemagne. Very fascinating! Later we learned that the man, Dr. Markus Hirthe, is actually the owner/director of the museum. I loved that he is so involved with his museum and that he took the time to do these surveys eventhough he probably has a ton of other things to do. Lastly, everyone we encountered spoke English quite well, which, I found, is not always the case in Germany. There really are only two downsides to the museum. Firstly, there was a temporary exhibition on animals and law. Super nice theme and the set up looked great with various taxidermy animal. However unfortunately all of the signs were just in German, making it hard for me to really understand as I only know a bit of the language. The second downside is that it is so far from my home town in the Netherlands! I would love to go back and explore and learn more. I bet that each time you come back you'll notice something new in this museum. Some practical information to top this epos of a review off; tickets are 7 euros, there is a giftshop and a little cafe. Restrooms were clean and there is an elevator for those whose will have difficulty climbing the stairs.
3. Doll and Toy Museum (Puppen & Spielzeug Museum)
Overall Ratings
4.0 based on 49 reviews
This museum displays several centuries of hand-made dolls and other toys.
4. German Christmas Museum
Overall Ratings
4.0 based on 672 reviews
Reviewed By SadiCrowe - Atlanta, United States
Fairy tale Christmas’ started in Rothenburg so going to the museum is a must. This museum will also tell the tale of St Nicholas AND Krampus.
